Dagfinn Høybråten

Dagfinn Høybråten
Leader of the Christian Democratic Party
In office 23 January 2004 – 30 April 2011
Preceded by	Valgerd Svarstad Haugland
Succeeded by	Knut Arild Hareide
Minister of Health and Social Affairs
In office 17 October 1997 – 17 March 2000
Preceded by	Gudmund Hernes
Succeeded by	Tore Tønne
Minister of Health
In office 19 October 2001 – 18 June 2004
Preceded by	Tore Tønne
Succeeded by	Ansgar Gabrielsen
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
In office 18 June 2004 – 17 October 2005
Preceded by	Ingjerd Schou
Succeeded by	Bjarne Håkon Hanssen
Personal details
Born	(1957-12-02) 2 December 1957 Oslo, Norway
Nationality	Norwegian
Political party	Christian Democratic Party
Children	Four
Alma mater	University of Oslo
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Political scientist
Religion	Church of Norway

Dagfinn Høybråten (born 2 December 1957), is a Norwegian politician and the former leader of the Christian Democratic Party. He was a member of parliament between 2005 and 2013, when he became the secretary general of the Nordic Council of Ministers. He is 5th Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament and Chair of the Board of the GAVI Alliance. He was the director of the National Insurance Administration from 1997 to 2004, but barely attended to the position because he was a government minister in Bondevik's First Cabinet from 1997 to 2000 and Bondevik's First Cabinet from 2001 to 2005. He is also a member of Parliament since 2005 and was party leader of the Christian Democratic Party between 2004 and 2011.

Early and personal life

Høybråten was born to churchwarden and politician Per Høybråten (1932–1990) and laboratory worker Åse Margrethe Hallen (born 1929). While he was born in Oslo, he grew up in Nesodden, and lived for three years in Sandnes due to his father working there as a control veterinary. His father was politically active in the Christian Democratic Party, and was a deputy member of the Parliament of Norway. Høybråten received a cand.polit. degree in political science from the University of Oslo in 1984.^[1] He is married to his wife Jorun, and as of 2009 has four children and two grand-children.^[2]

Political career

Høybråten became active in politics at an early age, and became chairman of the Youth of the Christian People's Party in 1979.^[1]

He led the Ministry of Health and Care Services from 1997 to 2000 and again from 2001 to 2004. Following a 2004 Government reshuffle, Høybråten was transferred to lead the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. In 2004, he also assumed the leadership of Christian Democratic Party. In the Health Ministry, his team of political advisors were Kristin Ravnanger, Pål Christian Roland and Line Henriette Holten Hjemdal.

Dagfinn Høybråten speaking in 2010.

As Minister of Health, Høybråten was noted for his campaign against tobacco smoking at all public indoor places. It resulted in the adoption by Parliament of a bill banning smoking in restaurants, bars, and cafés. (It is still permitted to smoke in hotel rooms). Ireland and California had adopted similar laws. Sweden imposed a similar law in 2005. Høybråtens efforts have been credited for reducing the smoking rates and improving public health in Norway.^[3] Initially, the bill sparked some controversy, however it became popular after it passed. Høybråten has noted his efforts in this field as something he is particularly proud of.^[4] Høybråten was critical of employers advertising positions for non-smokers, since his he felt the issue ought to be fighting tobacco and its adverse health effects, rather than discriminating against people who smoke.^[5]

Throughout 2004, he was accused by liberal media such as Dagbladet, of being a "mørkemann" (lit. "dark man"), meaning a Christian with a hidden fundamentalist agenda. When he became party leader, Christian conservatives like Finn Jarle Sæle, Kåre Kristiansen and Gunnar Prestegård praised Høybråten for his conservative views. Dagbladet wrote that Høybråten opposes abortion, even in cases of rape. Responding to the articles, Høybråten distanced himself from claims that he was a fundamentalist. Høybråten said that although the Christian Democrats opposes abortion, that abortion after rape may be an emergency solution. He further noted that the Norwegian parliament was overwhelmingly pro-abortion rights, and the Christian Democrats could not refuse to take part in governance over this issue. On the Middle East conflict, Høybråten said that his view was the same as that of Kjell Magne Bondevik.^[6]

Failing by a margin of 180 votes to win a seat in the Norwegian parliamentary election, 1989, Høybråten did not hold a seat in the Parliament of Norway until elected in 2005. Ahead of the 2005 election, Høybråten was nominated from Rogaland instead of his home county of Akershus. This was in order to avoid a nomination battle with the former party leader Valgerd Svarstad Haugland. In 2009, he was re-elected as member of Parliament for Rogaland.

In 2007 Høybråten serves as the president of the Nordic Council. In 2009 he expressed a desire to have a return of the centre in Norwegian politics as a government alternative again, hoping especially that the Centre Party would make a return to the centre after its cooperation with the Red-Green Coalition for the last years.^[7] In 2010 it became clear that strong forces within the party wanted a change of leadership, following disappointingly poor election results, and the failure of the party to reestablish its popularity.^[8] On October 2, 2010 Høybråten announced that he would not run for reelection as party leader at the 2011 party conference.^[9] He also announced that he would not run for a third term as member of Parliament in the 2013 general election.^[10] Knut Arild Hareide succeeded him from April 30, 2011.^[11] Høybråten was announced as the new secretary general of the Nordic Council of Ministers in September 2012 effective from 1 March 2013. He was granted a leave for the remainder of his term in parliament and Kjell Arvid Svendsen meets in his place.^[12]

References

v t e Second Cabinet of Kjell Magne Bondevik Jan Petersen (H) Erna Solberg (H) Ingjerd Schou (H) 2001–04 Dagfinn Høybråten (Krf) Lars Sponheim (V) Per-Kristian Foss (H) Odd Einar Dørum (V) Valgerd Svarstad Haugland (Krf) 2005–06 Hilde Frafjord Johnson (Krf) 2001–05 Laila Dåvøy (Krf) Kristin Clemet (H) Svein Ludvigsen (H) Ansgar Gabrielsen (H) Torild Skogsholm (V) Kristin Krohn Devold (H) Børge Brende (H) Victor D. Norman (H) 2001–04 Morten Andreas Meyer (H) 2004–05 Einar Steensnæs (Krf) Thorhild Widvey (H) 2004–05 Knut Arild Hareide (Krf) 2004–05